It is common sense for drivers to know that wet, icy, or otherwise poor conditions make driving more dangerous. When a driver feels their vehicle sliding or requiring more distance to stop, they should know to take extra care to get where they are going. Similarly, bad visibility in the case of extreme fog or heavy rain creates a condition that is primed for a car accident.
It is important to drive as slowly as possible in these conditions, but not everyone may be as safe on the road as you are. Identifying how you can prevent a bad weather accident in Memphis can help you decrease the risk of anything serious taking place. However, even if you are being an attentive driver, accidents can still happen.
If a collision does occur, David E. Gordon is an experienced attorney who can help prove you were being as safe as possible and taking all of the necessary precautions.
Equipment to Prevent a Snow or Ice Related Accident
To protect oneself from weather-related accidents, the best advice a lawyer can give someone is to stay off the road. However, if a driver must drive in bad weather, they need to be sure that they have the proper vehicle for the roadway.
Driving a heavy vehicle is key to decreasing the chance of a driver sliding into another vehicle. Even small sedans with good tires can slide because of their weight. For the most amount of protection on the road, drivers should seek out an SUV or a truck.
They will also need to be sure that they have tires with good tread in order to handle icy or slick roads. As a rule, people in Memphis usually do not use chains or snow tires because they are not always necessary. Those who move to Memphis from places in the north sometimes already have this kind of equipment, so they might use it, but it is very rare for someone who grew up in the south to have chains or snow tires for their vehicle.
Sun Blindness Preparation
There are times when the sun is rising in the morning or setting in the evening at such an angle that a driver cannot see. Most drivers will continue to go forward in the face of blinding sun so that they do not have to slam on the brakes and risk getting rear-ended. Conversely, it is easy to see how dangerous that is, and how it could result in colliding with the car in front of them.
Drivers should always wear proper sun-protective eyewear, use the sun visor, and try to slow down when they cannot see in front of them. If a driver crashes into the car in front of them, they will not be able to use the excuse that the sun was in their eyes. This is why they should take the extra precautions to avoid an unnecessary incident.
Memphis Fog Conditions
Sometimes, fog in Memphis is so thick that it is difficult to see more than a few feet in front of one’s vehicle. In this situation, a driver should use low beam headlights to see the road, and slow down as much as necessary to be able to detect another car in time to avoid a collision. High beam headlights may create a more dangerous condition for other drivers that you cannot see at all.
If someone knowingly continues to drive in the fog, they are going to be responsible for any collision that occurs. Individuals cannot use fog as a defense for a bad weather accident.
An Attorney Can Help You with Preventing a Bad Weather Accident in Memphis
A driver at fault may try to excuse his conduct by blaming it on the weather. The only time it is a valid defense is when the driver can prove that the weather came upon him before he had any opportunity to avoid it.
However, this is rare and extremely hard to prove. The best way to avoid liability for a bad weather accident is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. To learn more about preventing a bad weather accident in Memphis, contact attorney David E. Gordon who has experience with these types of cases.
